Improvement in devices for securing forms on beds of printing-presses



J. D. LUCAS. Device for Securing Forms on Beds of Printing-Presses.

No. 218,039. Patented July 29,1879.

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N; PETERS. PHOTO-UTHOGRAPHZR. WASHINGTON. D c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. LUCAS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR SECURING FORMS 0N BEDS 0F PRINTING-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 218,039, dated July 29, 1879; application filed June 10, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. LUCAS, of Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Securing Forms on Beds of Printing-Presses; and I hereby declare the same to be fully, clearly, and exactly described as follows, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated a printing-press bed having a chase locked up thereon by means of the device about to be described.

My invention is designed to furnish a device applicable to the beds of printing-presses as usually made, and designed to obviate what has heretofore been the source of much annoyance and loss of time.

The pri mitive furniture, consisting of strips of wood of varying thickness, and somewhat tapering, in order to wedge up the chase, is still generally, indeed almost universally, in use. These strips of wood are liable to buckle up and come in contact with the inking-rollers, or even to fall entirely out of place, besides requiring considerable time and patience to properly secure or look up the chase.

In the accompanying drawing, A is the bed, having the usual side bearers, a a, and end strips, 0/ a. B is the chase, of the usual form. C O are ratchet-bars, which are preferably made of the same length as the bed inside the end strips, or a, although that is not essential. They are so laid that the teeth 0 c incline toward the end of the bed opposite the chase; or the teeth may be inclined in both directions, as at 00, whereby a chase may be locked at either end of the bed without reversing the bars. D is a bar, having its ends beveled to fit the teeth 0 c, as shown, and having a series of screws, 01 d, passing through it.

To look up the chase, the same is laid upon the bed A, in contact with one of the end strips, a. The screws 01 being retracted, the bar D is made to engage with the teeth 0 a, that are opposite the ends of the chase, which is then securely locked up by means of the screws (1. It will be seen that as the screws (1 come to bear on the chase the ratchet-bars are driven laterally against the side bearers, a, securely retaining the device upon the press-bed.

As above stated, the bars 0 are, by preference, made to fit lengthwise upon the bed; but the lateral thrust will secure them in place even if not in contact with the ends a a. The screws (1 d are provided with either perforated or polygonal heads for the attachment of a lever or spanner.

The device is simple in construction, may be applied to presses already in use, and leaves nothing to be desired in point of efficiency in operation.

If desired, lateral lugs may be used on the bar D, as shown in dotted lines, to prevent side motion of the chase; or the latter may be furnished with an indentation for engagement with one of the screws d for the same purpose.

I am aware that it is not new, broadly, to wedge up a chase between the end flanges of the press-bed and a cross-bar which is secured by the side bearers, and such I do not claim.

What I claim is The device herein described, consisting of the ratcheted side-bars and cross-bar, having beveled ends and provided with clampingscrews, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN D. LUCAS. Witnesses:

R. D. WILLIAMS, 0. E. SIMMoNs. 

